Robert Bike
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Robert Bike, LMT, LLC
These are photos I took of buildings, parks & scenes that I remember from my childhood, and other things and people that interest me, from my trip to Freeport in October of 2002.
A memorial to Freeporters and Stephenson County residents killed during the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean War and the Vietnam War is near the bottom of the page. Unfortunately, Stephenson County has had two KIAs in Iraq and a 2006 Pretzel was killed in Afghanistan. Hundreds, if not thousands, of Stephenson County men were killed in the Civil War. That memorial will be added when I have time.
All photos & text, except as noted, Copyright 2002-2011 Robert L. Bike.
This is a huge page, with lots & lots of photos. It should load fairly quickly on broadband. If you are still on dial-up, order broadband now, as loading this page could take a very long time. All the links work, so if you get a red X instead of a photo, right click on the X and select "Show Picture."
Freeport's former mayor, Jim Gitz, is an old friend and classmate.
Photo of Jim stolen from his website!
Freeport City Hall
The architect wanted to put his name on the building, but the city fathers objected. So the architect put the names of famous people at the top, people whose first letter of their last names, coincidentally, spelled out his name!
The 'new' gym at Freeport High School.
The old gym and the tower at Freeport High School.
The old Stephenson Hotel. The banner celebrates the Freeport Doctrine from the Lincoln-Douglas debate of 1858. Quiz: What is the Freeport Doctrine?
Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas held a series of seven debates in their run for the United States Senate. In their second debate, held in Freeport on August 27, 1858, Lincoln asked Douglas which was more binding, popular sovereignty or a recent decision of the United States Supreme Court against it. Douglas chose popular sovereignty: a territory had the right to govern itself with or without slavery.
The Freeport Doctrine won Douglas the senatorial seat, but his answer split the Democratic party and enabled Lincoln to win the presidency in 1860.
My sister Claudia Painter & the tower of plates at the old Little's China Shop.
The corner of Walnut & Main. The Walnut Hill Liquor Store. The old Freeport Hotel is the big building on the right. The historic Raleigh building is in the distance.
The dam at Krape Park.
The duck pond at Krape Park.
The waterfall & Yellow Creek at Krape Park.
The totem pole at Krape Park.
Twin Caves and Yellow Creek at Krape Park.
The 'new' Stephenson County Court House and the Civil War Memorial.
The sanctuary at St. John United Church of Christ. My family attended St. John's, as did the family of Doug Hagen, who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in Vietnam.
St. John United Church of Christ Mission statement: Bringing the Healing Love of Christ to Our Community for the Glory of God.
I am attempting to assemble lists of the war dead from Stephenson County. The Civil War list is incredibly long, and will be added over time. For the more recent wars, from World War I and on, I've attempted to tell stories about each man. Here is what I have so far:
If you
have more information about any of these men, please email me at .
Send photos, stories about them, any information you would like included.
Civil
War Deaths
Stephenson County
Memorial
to those who served in the Civil War from Stephenson County.
John Scofield was awarded the
Medal of Honor for his actions in the Civil War.
World
War I Veterans
Stephenson County
Harry Liggett,
Charles McCoy and Fred
Wilkins were
were
awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in World War I.
Harry Liggett, 2nd Lieut., 108th Regiment, Engineers, Co. E., 33rd Div., was shot through the cheek while in action on Verdun Front, October 10, 1918. Received Distinguished Service Cross from General Pershing and the Croix de Guerre from General Petain.
Charles McCoy, Sgt. Major, Co. I, 26th Inf., 1st Div. was wounded October 1 to 11, 1918 at Argonne, and received decorations by General Pershing, Marshal Foch and by Victor Emanuel, King of Italy, for extraordinary heroism in battle while under heavy fire and for high conception of duty and merit. He spent 17 months in France and 9 months in Germany.
Fred Wilkins, Company A, 132nd infantry, A. E. F., was decorated by King George, of England, with the military medal of Bravery in Action. "The act for which Pvt. Fred R. Wilkins was awarded the military medal is described thus; At Hamel, July 4th, 1918, he exhibited conspicuous bravery in action. He bombed out a machine gun position and captured the gun, which has been inflicting heavy casualties on our troops. I congratulate you on the gallant act by which you have won the Military Medal." - Rawlinson, General commanding Fourth Army
My grandfather, Henry C. Wienand, Private, 1st class, Co. L., 109th Inf., 28th Div., enlisted June 28, 1918 at Freeport, and was discharged May 24, 1919 at Camp Grant, having served overseas for 10 months.
Stephenson
County men who died in World War I:
|
Benjamin Elmer Altenbern of Lena was wounded on October 17, 1918 by friendly fire when he was accidentally shot by a comrade, and gas infected the wound, resulting in his left leg being amputated. That and pneumonia resulted in his death. Altenbern died October 20, 1918, in Evacuation Hospital at Toul, France. |
| PFC Leo Barnds died of typhoid and scarlet fever February 27, 1919 at Paris, and is buried at Suresnes American Cemetery, Suresnes, Ile-de-France, France. |
| John S. Bennehoff of Rock Grove became ill in the Army, was discharged, went home, and died. |
| Clarence Milford Best of Davis died of influenza and pneumonia on October 20, 1918 at Camp Sevier, S. C. |
| Herbert Frederick Biersach, a popular FHS athlete died October 10, 1918 of influenza and pneumonia at Beloit, where he was a member of the Student Army Corps. |
| Charles Edward Borgmeier died October 4, 1918 at Camp Hancock, Georgia, of influenza and pneumonia. |
| Edward A. Carbiener of Florence Township, a member of Company A., 132nd infantry, was Killed In Action on August 5, 1918. |
| Luther "Bing" Cazel died October 6, 1918 at Camp Grant, of pneumonia, following an attack of the Spanish influenza. He was a renowned semi-pro baseball pitcher. |
 Pvt
Theodore Frederick Demeter, a 1916
FHS graduate, of the 75th Co., 6th Reg., U. S. Marines, was wounded
at Chateau Thierry July 2, 1918. He rejoined his regiment on July
22, and was Killed In Action on September 16, 1918. He is buried at
Saint Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucourt, Lorraine, France. |
| Sgt Eugene Francis Egan, Army, died March 23, 1919 at Arennach, Germany. He had served for 10 years in Light Artillery. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Section 18, Plot 584. |
| Elmo K. Eson died of pneumonia, December 6, 1918. |
| Pvt Joseph C. Farrow, Bat. E, 123rd Heavy Field Artillery, died May 28, 1918, and is buried at Somme American Cemetery, Somme, Picardie, France. |
| Elmer Edward Fischer died May 23, 1918 at Camp Fremont. |
| Kryle Fuller, a member of a machine gun company with the famous 86th division, died October 2, 1918 at Portsmouth, England of pneumonia. |
| Walter Enoch Furen, who served with the American Expeditionary Forces in France, died March 14, 1918 at Dijon, France, Base Hospital No. 17 of bronchitis. |
| Dr. Orlando M. Gochnaur was Killed In Action on November 6, 1917, as a member of the British Expeditionary Forces. |
| William Mathew Grant, Army, was Killed In Action on August 2, 1918. He had worked at Swan's Organ Factory. He is buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in Freeport. |
| Corp Lewis Donald Gray was killed July 23, 1918 at Belleau, France, and is buried in the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, Belleau, Lorraine, France. |
| Edward Griffin of Dakota died at sea on October 3, 1918, on board a transport heading to France. |
| Edward Hogan died of pneumonia in Scotland on October 1, 1918. |
| William Lloyd Horstmeier died in France on November 24, 1918. |
| Edward Arthur Hughes died of wounds received in action on October 12, 1918 at Meuse, Argonne. Hughes had served in St. Mihiel, the Somme offensives and on the Mexican border in 1916. |
| Charles Edward Inman died October 6, 1918, of pneumonia and influenza. |
| Elso Sikko Johnson was Killed in Action on July 11, 1918 at Suippe, France on the Meuse Argonne front. |
| Louis Edwin Johnson, brother of Elso Sikko Johnson, above, died October 16, 1918 at Camp Dodge, Iowa of Spanish influenza. A third brother, John Johnson, served with General Pershing. |
| Grover H. Koeller died of pneumonia at LeHavre, France, October 15, 1918. He was buried in St. Marlo's cemetery. |
| Ewart Kline of Orangeville died September 19, 1918 at Ft. Hamilton, New York. |
| Raymond Julius Kuhlemeier of Dakota died September 29, 1918, and was buried at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France. |
| Pvt Glen Howard Kuntz died October 13, 1918 in France, and is buried at Suresnes American Cemetery, Suresnes, Ile-de-France, France. |
| Robert R. Langenstein, FHS Class of 1913, was Killed In Action on July 18, 1918 in the Battle of the Marne. |
| Philip Link was Killed In Action between September 26-30, 1918, in France. |
| Donald Lynch |
| Robert Roland McKibben was Killed In Action on July 4, 1918 at Hamel, France. |
| John Messang went down with Submarine F. 1, on December 17, 1917. |
| John Lester Miller |
| Harry E. Meysembourg was Killed In Action at Chateau Thierry, France, on August 2, 1918. |
| Pvt Carl E. Mishler was wounded at St. Mihiel, and was Killed In Action on September 12, 1918. He is buried at Saint Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucourt, Lorraine, France. |
 Rev.
Capt Arthur Francis Moseley was Killed In Action on July 5, 1918
at Cantigny, France. He was in charge of Company G, 16th Regiment,
infantry and had been in the trenches for several weeks prior to his
death. Captain Moseley also served during the Spanish-American war
as a sergeant. During the Boer war he served with the British army
as a dispatch rider and was rewarded for his gallantry by receiving
the Queen's medal. He served as pastor of the United Brethren church
in Freeport. He is buried at Somme American Cemetery, Somme, Picardie,
France. |
| Corp August A. Odermatt was wounded twice, at Chateau Thierry and Argonne, and died of his wounds on October 13, 1918. Born in Switzerland, he worked with sheet metal in Freeport. He is buried at Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France. |
| Lynn Peters, FHS Class of 1916, died October 7, 1918, of influenza and pneumonia at Camp Grant. During his career at Freeport High School he was a star athlete. He was never beaten in the mile run while in high school competition and he was awarded first place medals and cups at the University of Chicago and Cornelle College meets in 1916. He was also a good musician as a member of the high school band. |
| Wilbur Thomas Rawleigh, the only son of Freeport industrialist W.T. Rawleigh, died September 27, 1918 of Spanish Influenza and pneumonia in Chicago, after suffering for 10 days. |
|
PFC Oscar Andrew Rippberger, Army, Co. B., 125th Inf., 2nd Div. , was Killed In Action at Chateau Thierry on July 21, 1918. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Site 3170. |
| Oscar Sandrock was gassed on October 30, 1918 in Meuse-Argonne, and died December 6, 1918 of mustard gas and bronchial pneumonia at Base Hospital No. 83, Revigny, France. |
| William Frederick Seyfarth, wounded overseas August 4, 1918, died August 6, 1919. |
| PFC A. Vernon Sheetz of Florence Township, a 1910 FHS graduate, died August 17, 1918, when he accidently drowned in the River Marne. He had been bathing in the River Marne, when he dove off a high spring board and suffered injuries which resulted in his drowning. Sheetz, a member of the 149th field artillery, was buried at a cemetery in Luzancy, near LeFerte. He is now buried at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, Belleau, Lorraine Region, France. |
| James Marsh Sprague was Killed In Action on October 24th, 1918. |
| Carl Ralph Stewart of Winslow was Killed In Action on July 19, 1918 at Chateau Thierry, from shell shock. Another source gave his date of death as July 27, 1918. He was a member of the signal corps as a lineman, on the western front where fighting was at its height. His duties were to repair the communications telephone wire from the various trenches to the main stations. His work took him into the thickest of the battle where he was exposed to enemy shells. |
| John G. Ulrich of Cedarville died October 10, 1918, at Camp Dodge of Spanish influenza. |
| William VanDeest |
| Russell J. Wheeland, a Corporal with Hdq. Co., 108th Ammunition Train, 33rd Div., Motor Btn., died May 28, 1919, of pneumonia upon his return to U. S. before being discharged. |
| Frederick C. Yde, a Corporal with the 23rd Field Artillery, 33rd Div., was killed August 25, 1918 at Nancy. |
My uncle Bob Wienand was killed in action in World War II. He fought as part of an anti-aircraft unit, defending the just-captured bridge at Remagen, Germany.
| Robert Albert, Army, was Killed In Action. |
| PFC Paul Albrecht, Army, was Killed In Action on November 12, 1944 at Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines. He is buried at Manila American Cemetery, Plot D, Row 9, Grave 225. |
| Pvt Merril Althafer, Army, Died of Non-Combat wounds. |
|
PFC William Barker was the first Cedarville resident killed in WWII. He fought on the front lines in Germany with the American First army, where he died on April 16, 1945. |
|
Lt Dwight B. Belknap, of Ridott was killed in an airplane accident in Utah on August 29, 1943. |
| Sgt Kenneth O. Belknap, Army, Died of Non-Battle wounds. |
| PFC Clarence Bergeman, Army, was Killed In Action on August 24, 1944.He is buried at the Rhone American Cemetery in Draguignan, France, Plot B, Row 10, Grave 4. |
| William Bessert, Army, was Killed In Action. |
 PFC
LaVerle E. Bicker, Army, Killed In Action on November 19, 1944.
He is buried at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Henri-Chapelle,
Belgium, Plot F, Row 4, Grave 22. |
 2
Lt Eugene Biesemeier, Army Air Force, a
1938 graduate of FHS, was the pilot of a P-51 Mustang flying over
Germany when he was shot down on December 21, 1944. He was Killed
In Action. |
| Sgt Leslie O. Brandenburg, Army, was killed in a non-combat situation. |
| PFC Edward Branthaver, Army, was Killed In Action. |
| Capt Robert V. Breyman, Army, Died Of Wounds on October 26, 1944 and is buried at Lorraine American Cemetery, Saint-Avold, Lorraine, France.. |
| PFC Arnold P. Buckland, Army, died October 3, 1944 at Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines. He is buried at Manila American Cemetery, Plot A, Row 6, Grave 30. |
 T/Sgt.
Ted J. Bunnell Died Of Wounds in a German
Hospital on or after February 21, 1945. Bunnell had served as a gunner
aboard a B-17 bomber that had been shot down. Some of his crewmates
had been captured, and when T/Sgt. Gillecee was taken to a prison
camp around April 1, 1945, he reported that Bunnell had died in the
hospital. Just after bombing Vienna, Bunnell's aircraft received two
direct hits which cut rudder controls, the vertical stabilizer and
the left elevator, and they lost both engines. They had released the
bombs at 25,000 feet, and regained control at 9500 feet. They headed
toward Russian territory, dumped all extra weight, but more German
planes intercepted them, and the pilot told everyone to bail out.
Bunnell was seriously wounded, either from enemy fire or upon landing
after parachuting. |
| PFC Melvin L. Burington, Army, was Killed In Action on March 15, 1944, and is buried at Bethel-Hawthorne Cemetery, Clarno, Wisconsin. |
| S/Sgt Merle E. Canfield, R/W, Killed In Action on November 10, 1943. Flying a B-17 Flying Fortress, Canfield flew as a crew member on a bomber that held 12 500-lb bombs. The target was the Marshalling Yards at Bolzano, Italy. Twenty-four aircraft took off, but only eight got over the target and dropped their bombs. Photos showed extensive damage to locomotive sheds, rolling stock, buildings and an approach to a railroad bridge. Flak was intense and fairly accurate, resulting in the loss of one aircraft. Five to ten enemy aircraft attacked the formation, resulting in the loss of a second plane. Canfield was aboard the second aircraft. Several crew members bailed out. The pilot was captured by Germans; the bombardier and the Captain met on the ground and escaped to Switzerland. Several others bailed out, and some were unable to bail out. Canfield did not bail out. He is buried at Florence American Cemetery in Via Cassia, Italy, Plot F, Row 9, Grave 29. |
| Sgt William H. Campbell, Army, was Killed In Action on September 12, 1944, and is buried at Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island, Illinois, Plot D, Grave 339. |
| Pvt Christian Frederick Carstedt, Jr. Died of Non Battle wounds in California, on duty, on March 22, 1942. He is buried at Cedarville Cemetery, Cedarville, Illinois. |
| S Sgt Laurence A. Clark, Army, was Killed In Action. |
| Robert Collati |
| Corp Robert Crowell was a pilot in the navy. He was shot down over the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 1944, and was lost at sea. He is memorialized at the Honolulu Memorial in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. |
|
Flight Sgt James R. Dillon, M.D., was awarded the Silver Star, the Bownze Star with Cluster and the Purple Heart. |
| PFC Laverne E. Ditsworth, Army, was Killed In Action. |
| Pvt Herbert M. Doe, Army, died of non-combat wounds. |
| Pvt Robert E. Duffield, Army, was Killed In Action on February 9, 1944. His body was not recovered. Awarded the Bronze Star, he is memorialized at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery at Nettuno, Lazio, Italy. |
| 2 Lt Norman Engle, Army, was Killed in Action April 5, 1945, and is buried at Lorraine American Cemetery at St. Avold (Moselle), France, Plot F, Row 8, Grave 24. Another report had him dying at the Battle of the Bulge in 1944. |
| PFC Erwin H. Espenschied, Army, Killed In Action. |
| 1 Lt Vernon H. Evans, Army, Killed In Action on August 11, 1943, during Patton's invasion at Messina, Sicily. Awarded the Silver Star, he is buried at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery at Nettuno, Lazio, Italy, Plot I, Row 6, Grave 67. |
| Lt William E. Evans, Army, Died of Non-Battle wounds. |
| Cpl Ronald D. Fickert, Army, Died of Non-Battle wounds. |
| Pvt Wilbur Finkboner, Army, Died of Non-Battle wounds July 2, 1942, and is memorialized at Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines, in the Manila American Cemetery. |
| Pvt Clarence Fishburn, Army, Died of Non-Battle wounds. |
| PFC Donald Gallagher died December 10, 1944, and is buried at Lorraine American Cemetery, Saint-Avold, Lorraine, France. |
| Pvt Wilbert H. Galway, Army, Killed In Action at Rapido River Crossing, Monte Casino, Italy, on January 23 or 24, 1944. Awarded the Bronze Star, his body was not recovered. He is memorialized at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery at Nettuno, Italy. |
| 2/Lt Emanuel Georgalas was reported Missing In Action while piloting a B-17 Fortress over Yugoslavia on June 6, 1944. Georgalas, co-pilot of B-17G, 463rd Bomb Group, 772th Bomb Squadron crashed near Belgrade. Georgalas was a Prisoner of War and either died in a POW Camp or was shot by the Germans. (Info courtesy of Jaap Vermeer, RAF & USAAF researcher, The Netherlands and Europe.) |
| Sgt Jake P. Gerber died November 19, 1942. His name was listed in the July 5, 1943, issue of Life Magazine. He is buried at Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines. |
| PFC Robert Gilman was born in Freeport, though his parents moved him to Detroit, Michigan when he was 3. He was Killed in Action in northern Luzon on March 30, 1945. He fought on Leyte, Luzon, Baatan and Corregidor. He is buried at Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines, in the Manila American Cemetery, Plot N, Row 7, Grave 198. |
| S SG Robert F. Glaman, Army Air Force, 569th Bomber Squadron, was Killed In Action on February 14, 1945. Awarded the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, he is buried at Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands, Plot A, Row 8, Grave 23. |
| David Golby |
| Sgt Matthew A. Grant, Army, Killed In Action November 23, 1944. Buried at St. Joseph Cemetery, Freeport, Illinois. |
| Pvt Frank F. Guiffre |
| Lt Col Ferris F. Hamilton, Army, Died of Non-Battle causes on April 13, 1944, and is buried at Green Lawn Cemetery, Columbus, Ohio. |
| Pvt Floyd B. Hanson, Army Air Force, 577th Bomber Squadron, Finding Of Death (missing in action, presumed killed). Died April 9, 1944. Awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, he is memorialized at Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England. |
| PFC Clarence J. Harnish, Army, Killed In Action on December 18, 1944. He is buried at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Henri-Chapelle, Belgium, Plot D, Row 10, Grave 33. |
| 2 Lt John F. Healy, Army Air Force, Died of Non-Battle wounds on March 1, 1944. Memorialized at East Coast Memorial, New York, NY, USA. |
| Pvt Theodore R. Herbig, Marine Corps, Killed In Action on November 21, 1943. His body was not recovered. He is memorialized at the Honolulu Memorial in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. |
| Cpl Victor L. Heimbuch, Army, was Killed In Action on Guadalcanal. His name was listed in the July 5, 1943, issue of Life Magazine. |
| Cpl Robert C. Hopke, Army, Died of Non-Battle causes on May 20, 1945, and is buried at Cambridge American Cemetery, Coton, Cambridgeshire, England. |
| Sgt Wiley J. Huddle, Army, Died of Non-Battle causes on June 16, 1944 and is buried at the Honolulu Memorial in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. |
| Pvt. Arthur S. Hutmacher, Army, Killed In Action. |
| Pvt. Wilbur Keil, killed in the African campaign |
| Seaman 2C Warren Russell Keister, Navy, Fire Controlman 2/C was Killed In Action April 16, 1945, while serving aboard the USS destroyer Pringel, which participated in the campaign between the mainland of Japan and Okinawa. Buried at Sea, he is memorialized at the Honolulu Memorial in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. |
| Aviation Machinist's Mate 3C Paul Bookman Kempert, Navy, was Killed In Action on March 11, 1945. He is buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, Plot F, Grave 52. |
| Pvt. Homer L. Kingston, Army, Died of Non-Battle causes. |
 Sgt.
Roy E. Kinzer died on January 19, 1943,
in the South Pacific theater as the result of a throat infection.
He is memorialized
at Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines, in the Manila American Cemetery. |
| S Sgt. William A. Koch, Army Air Force, 735th Bomber Squadron, was Killed In Action on March 6, 1944. His body was not recovered. An Air Medal recipient, he is memorialized at Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England. |
| Pvt. Elmer J. Lamm, Army, Died of Non-Battle causes. |
| 1 Lt. Russell J. Lamm, Army, Died of Non-Battle causes. |
| Pvt. Galen H. Lawler, Army, Died Of Wounds. |
| 2 Lt. Lawrence S. Lawver, Army Air Force, died in Newark, Ohio, on September 8, 1942, when an army medium bomber crashed. Lawver attempted to bail out, but the plane was too low, and he was found tangled in his snarled parachute on a railroad loading platform. Six people in the plane and two on the ground died. |
| T Sgt. Homer Leverton, Jr., Army, was Killed In Action on April 20, 1945, on Okinawa |
|
1 Lt. Orville H. Lutz, Army, of Cedarville, was Killed In Action on June 19, 1944, off Omaha Beach during the second wave of the 300th Engineer Combat Battalion. His body was never found. Lutz was aboard LST (Landing Ship Tank) 523 with 200 other men when it struck a magnetic mine, blowing it completely in two. The stern sunk within 15 minutes into the English Channel about a mile offshore, but the bow remained afloat, allowing some survivors to scramble into the lone life raft that survived the explosion. Many small military craft picked up survivors, but Lutz was not among them. The rescue continued for two hours as injured men were plucked out of the 55 degree water. 134 men were killed. Lutz was remembered for his drumming skills, using pots & pans to keep the beat going. He is memorialized at Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France. |
| T Sgt. Andrew L. McBride, Army, Died of Non-Battle wounds. |
| PFC Fred McCool, Army, Killed In Action. |
| Pvt. Leroy Darrel Mellen, Army, Died of Non-Battle wounds. |
| Cpl Gustave Edward Midthun, Marine, Killed In Action March 15, 1945, buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, Plot C, Grave 14. |
| Pvt Roy A. Mikkelsen, Army, Died of Non-Battle wounds. |
| 2 Lt Elmer R. Mitchell, Jr., Army, Died of Non-Battle wounds. |
| S Sgt Roy E. Morris, Army, Killed In Action February 10, 1944. He is buried at Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island, Illinois, Plot E, 66 67 6. |
| Thomas Morris |
| T Sgt Leo J. Nash, Army, Died Of Wounds October 16, 1944. Awarded the Purple Heart with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, he is buried at Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England, Plot D, Row 6, Grave 24. |
| Ship's Cook 3C Glen C. Nelson, Navy, lost at sea September 13, 1944. Memorialized at East Coast Memorial, New York, NY, USA. |
| S Sgt Gregg Nesemeier was Killed In Action on February 26, 1943, while serving with the US Army Air Force, the 401st Bomber Squadron, 91st Bomber Group, Heavy. His body was never found. Awarded the Air Medal, he is memorialized at Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England. |
| PFC Paul H. Nott, Army, Died of Non-Battle wounds on December 17, 1942, and is buried at North Africa American Cemetery, Carthage Tunisia, Plot H, Row 1, Grave 7. |
| S Sgt Thomas J. O'Moore, Army Air Force, Died of Non-Battle wounds on April 24, 1943, and is memorialized at East Coast Memorial, New York, NY, USA. |
| Pvt Donald W. Orth, Army, Killed In Action July 13, 1944. He is buried at Florence American Cemetery, Florence, Toscana, Italy. |
| Sgt Everette Osgood, Jr., Army, Killed In Action July 25, 1944, buried at Normandy American Cemetery, Colle-sur-Mer, France, Plot D, Row 3, Grave 43. |
| 2 Lt Robert Osterholdt, Marine Corps, died August 8, 1943, and is buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Plot B, 191-A. |
| PFC Adolph F. Rampenthal, Marine Corps, was Killed in Action on Iwo Jima. |
| PFC Russell E. Rayhorn, Army, Died of Non-Battle wounds on the Italian front. |
| S Sgt Ray W. Reed, Army Air Corps, died in a plane crash on August 24, 1943, and is buried at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Louisville, Kentucky, Plot E, 137-138. |
| PFC Rodney D. Rinderman, Army, Died Of Wounds. |
| Richard Rogers |
| PFC Dale R. Runte, Army, Died Of Wounds. |
| Pvt Anthony Ryan, died in 1941 and is buried at St. Marys Cemetery, Freeport, Illinois. |
| Sgt Charles M. Schlamp, Army Air Force, 331st Bomber Squadron, Died of Non-Battle wounds September 24, 1943. He is buried at Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England, Plot E, Row 2, Grave 21. |
| Cpl LaVerne A. Schleich, Army, Died of Non-Battle wounds. |
| T Sgt Delvin A. Schneider, Army, Died Of Wounds. |
| PFC Robert Kenneth Schunk, Army, Killed In Action. |
 1
Lt Herbert C. Schwarz, Army, Killed In
Action on the Burma Road January 28, 1945. |
| Jack Selke |
| TEC4 Clifford R. Shafer, Army, Killed In Action. |
| Pvt. Kenneth Shamway. His name was listed in the July 5, 1943, issue of Life Magazine. |
| Lt. Eugene Russell Shannon, Navy, former rector of Grace Episcopal church, was Killed In Action off Iwo Jima when the carrier Bismarck Sea, on which he was chaplain, was sunk. A member of the Naval Reserve, awarded the Navy-Marine Corps medal, he died February 21, 1945, and is memorialized at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. |
| PFC Robert L. Speer, Marine Corps, Killed In Action. |
| Lt. William Erwin Stevens |
| S Sgt Russell W. Ter Hark, Army, Killed In Action in Germany. |
| Pvt Arthur J. Van Vleck, Army, died August 29, 1944. Awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, he is buried at Epinal American Cemetery, Epinal (Vosges), France, Plot B, Row 31, Grave 55. |
| PFC Elmer R. Veach, Army, Killed In Action. |
| Seaman 1C Alvin Leo Voss, Navy, Killed In Action March 19, 1945. He is memorialized at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. |
| Pvt George W. Wardle, Army, Killed In Action August 2, 1944. Awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, he is buried at Brittany American Cemetery, St. James (Manche), France, Plot J, Row 1, Grave 18. |
| PFC Donald L. Weber, Army, Killed In Action. |
 PFC
Henry Robert Wienand, Army, Killed
In Action, follow link to tribute page, with more photos and videos
of the bridge he was defending from Hitler's attempts to blow it up.
My Uncle Bob was Killed In Action at the Remagen Bridge on March 9,
1945. He is buried at Oakland Cemetery in Freeport, Illinois. |
 Sgt
William C. Young, Jr., Army, was aboard
a plane shot down over the ocean near the British Isles on December
9, 1944, and did not survive. He is memorialized at Lorraine American
Cemetery and Memorial, Saint-Avold, Lorraine, France. |
| PFC Herman F. Woolsey, Army, Killed In Action on March 3, 1945. He is buried at Grandview Cemetery, north of Freeport, Illinois. |
| S Sgt John N. Yakovich, Army, Died of Non-Battle wounds. |
| S Sgt Julian N. Zahary, Army, Died Of Wounds at Ormoc, Leyte, February 24, 1945, and is buried at Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines, in the Manila American Cemetery, Plot A, Row 11, Grave 167. |
| Sgt. John Zastrow died in the Mediterranean on April 20, 1944. He is buried at North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial, Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia. |
| Sgt William F. Zimmerman, Army, Killed In Action. |
| For the following, I could only find that he was missing in action, and I haven't found any resolution yet: |
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Sgt. Thomas Moore, an Army flier in Europe, was reported Missing In Action on May 15, 1943. He graduated from Aquin in 1935. |
Korean
War Deaths
Stephenson County
PFC
James Green was a member of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines,
1st Marine Division.
Cpl
Paul Reynolds, a veteran of World War II, in Korea was a member
of Company A, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He
was Killed in Action at the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea on December
3, 1950. His remains were not recovered. He was awarded a Silver
Star for his actions.Reynolds was 25 years old.
James
Stephens was a member of Battery C, 196th Field Artillery Battalion
(155 MM), X Corps. On September 22, 1952, Stephens was a member
of a three man outpost, directing artillery fire north of Kajon-ni,
North Korea when it was overrun by the enemy. He was Killed in Action.
Private Stephens was 21 years old.
PFC
Frank Vincent was a machine gunner from Company M, 3rd Battalion,
5th Infantry Regimental Combat Team. On September 18, 1950, near
Waegwan, South Korea, he was protecting his retreating comrades
with machine gun fire. When his machine gun failed, he used a rifle
to protect the withdrawal. Vincent was awarded a Silver Star for
his actions. He was 21 years old.
Vietnam
War Deaths
Stephenson County
Friends
of mine who died during the Vietnam War:
Don Keep & Jerry Jenner
Guys I knew: Barry Armstrong, Bob Bonebright
Relative: Richard Otte
Others from Freeport and Stephenson County who died during the Vietnam war as listed on the memorial are:
| Ronald Boyer | Stephen Osran |
| Douglas Gillette | Franklin Picking |
| Emil Handel | Jerry Pool |
| Paul Hudson | Richard Reed |
| Dale Koertner | Ronald Schurch |
| Dave Krueger | Louie Shianna |
| Larry Mack | Fred Welker |
I have included as much information as I could find about each of these men, including the location of their names on the Vietnam War Memorial.
Doug Hagen, a Pretzel who attended FHS in his sophomore year, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Vietnam.
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Dick Otte portrait in his mother's home in Freeport. My mother, Anna Otte, with Dick's mother, Ida Otte, at Ida's home.
Richard
Otte's name on the Vietnam War Memorial wall, PFC Richard Lee Otte was a PFC - E2 in the Marine Corps. Richard Otte was killed by "friendly fire" on December 15, 1966 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam. He was only 23. His name is on the Vietnam War Memorial, Panel 13E, Line 48. |
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CPL Barry Lee Armstrong died on February 2, 1970 in Binh Thuan, South Vietnam. He was killed in action while serving with the First Cavalry Division (Air Mobile). An army corporal, he was only 19.
Click on photo to enlarge the clipping. Thanks to Jim Mertins for the clipping that appeared in the February 5, 1970 issue of the Freeport Journal-Standard, and the Life Magazine photos, below. The November 1992 issue of Life Magazine ran a feature article on the Vietnam Memorial, and in the main photo in the center of the magazine is the section of the wall that has Barry's name on it. His name is on the Vietnam War Memorial, Panel 14W, Line 92.
"I got goosebumps when I looked at your memorial page. I used to babysit for Barry Armstrong, and I have the rubbing from his panel when I went to DC. I have a great appreciation for this memorial you've created. Thank you so much."—Sherry Maves |
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Robert Allen Bonebright was a Marine Corps Sergeant. He died from non-hostile fire at age 25 on May 18, 1969 over Thua Thien, South Vietnam. A Marine KC-130 with Bob aboard was refueling two F-4B jets just south of the DMZ. As the three aircraft flew in formation, with the Phantoms plugged in and taking fuel, a third F-4B collided with the C-130's right wing near the #3 engine. The collision destroyed the F-4B, sheared the wing from the C-130, and damaged one F-4B refueling from the right side. The F-4B on the left escaped without damage. The F-4B on the right crashed, but the two crewmen were rescued. All six men aboard the C-130, including Bob, and the two crewmen aboard the F-4B that crashed into them were killed in the accident. A 1962 graduate of FHS, his name is on the Vietnam War Memorial, Panel 24W, Line 37. |
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Ronald Ernest Boyer was a PFC in the army from Lena. Ronald Boyer was killed in action on February 9, 1969, in Quang Nam Province. He was stationed with the 196th Infantry Brigade. He died from hostile fire at age 21. His name is on the Vietnam War Memorial, Panel 33W, Line 091. |
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Douglas Gillette died in a drowning accident June 30, 1968, in the Mosel River near Zell, Germany. He was trying to swim across the river on a bet. He was stationed with the United States Air Force at Hahn Air Force Base in Frankfurt. |
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Loren "Festus" Douglas Hagen was killed in action in Vietnam on August 7, 1971. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery during the firefight that killed him.
The citation given to his parents by President Ford reads, "1st Lt. Hagen distinguished himself in action while serving as the team leader of a small reconnaissance team operating deep within enemy-held territory. "At approximately 0630 hours on the morning of 7 August 1971 the small team came under a fierce assault by a superior-sized enemy force using heavy small arms, automatic weapons, mortar, and rocket fire. "1st Lt. Hagen immediately began returning small-arms fire upon the attackers and successfully led this team in repelling the first enemy onslaught. He then quickly deployed his men into more strategic defense locations before the enemy struck again in an attempt to overrun and annihilate the beleaguered team's members. 1st Lt. Hagen repeatedly exposed himself to the enemy fire directed at him as he constantly moved about the team's perimeter, directing fire, rallying the members, and resupplying the team with ammunition, while courageously returning small arms and hand grenade fire in a valorous attempt to repel the advancing enemy force. "The courageous actions and expert leadership abilities of 1st Lt. Hagen were a great source of inspiration and instilled confidence in the team members. "After observing an enemy rocket make a direct hit on and destroy one of the team's bunkers, 1st Lt. Hagen moved toward the wrecked bunker in search of team members despite the fact that the enemy force now controlled the bunker area. "With total disregard for his own personal safety, he crawled through the enemy fire while returning small-arms fire upon the enemy force. Undaunted by the enemy rockets and grenades impacting all around him, 1st Lt. Hagen desperately advanced upon the destroyed bunker until he was fatally wounded by enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire. "With complete disregard for his personal safety, 1st Lt. Hagen's courageous gallantry, extraordinary heroism, and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty, at the cost of his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon him and the U.S. Army."
Doug attended Freeport High School as a sophomore. Doug, along with his parents and brothers, attended St. John Church in Freeport. Before Freeport, Doug attended South Junior High School in Moorhead, Minnesota. After Freeport, his parents moved the family to Decatur where Doug graduated in 1964 from McArthur High School. He graduated from North Dakota State University in 1968. Here is a link to Doug's page on Wikipedia. Doug served in the Special Forces of the Army with a Studies & Observations Group (SOG). The SOG was a top-secret organization assigned to conduct covert missions behind enemy lines in Laos, Cambodia and North Vietnam. By 1971, the SOG was used to cover the U.S. withdrawal. In July of 1971, intelligence reported that a large enemy force was moving south. The North Vietnamese Army (NVA) used the narrow 25-mile long A Shau Valley to move troops and supplies south toward Hue, Danang and Phu Bai, home of large American ground units. The 304th NVA Division had about 1500 soldiers at a staging area in the northern part of the A Shau Valley, known as Base Area 611. Doug was a Recon Team leader of a 14-man special reconnaissance unit, RT Kansas, manned by six Green Berets and eight highly trained Montagnard commandos from Task Force One Advisory Element. His team had landed in the A Shau Valley of western Thua Thien Province and secured their position for the overnight mission almost within sight of the six-inch fuel pipeline the Hanoi High Command had laid across the Vietnamese De-Militarized Zone. The team had taken up a position on a small hill and spent the night, receiving probing activities during the night. As dawn approached, trucks began to arrive filled with NVA. RT Kansas was equipped with only what they had on their backs, CAR 15's, grenade launchers and one M-60 machine gun. All 1500 enemy soldiers attacked their position at dawn on August 7, 1971. At a mismatch seven times greater than the Alamo, it was the most one-sided battle of the Vietnam War. Doug led his recon team's defense, and when USASF Sgt. Bruce Allen Berg, 21, of Olympia, Washington, was hit by a rocket in one of the team's bunkers, Doug crawled towards Berg's position through heavy fire in an attempt to assist Berg, returning fire as he proceeded. Doug was killed searching for Berg. Air support arrived, and the dead and wounded were evacuated. Three Americans and three Montagnard's were killed, along with 185 confirmed NVA. SSG Oran L. Bingham of Salt Lake City, Utah, was the third American killed that morning. Berg's body was never found. The combat action in which Doug was killed is described in the last chapter of John L. Plaster's book SOG: The Secret Wars of America's Commandos in Vietnam (1997 Simon & Schuster).
Doug was only 25 at his death. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Section 28, Grave 1204. Fargo, North Dakota, has a Veteran's Memorial dedicated to Doug. Doug, Berg and Bingam are memorialized together on the Vietnam War Memorial Wall on Panel 03W, Line 125. |
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Emil Handel was killed August 25, 1970, in Bangkok, Thailand. He was a passenger in a bus which was struck by a train. He had been serving with the Strategic Air Command in Michigan before going to Thailand. |
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Paul Hudson was a fireman serving aboard the U.S.S. Essex, a US Navy Aircraft Carrier, when he was electrocuted while working on April 16, 1964. |
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Jerry was killed in a car accident while home on leave before being sent to Vietnam. He died October 7, 1968. He had been stationed at Ft. Hood, Texas. I graduated from Freeport High School in 1966 with Jerry. I knew him since grade school. |
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Don was killed in action on January 8, 1968 in Kien Hoa Province, South Vietnam, during the Tet Offensive in the Mekong Delta. He served as a corporal with the 9th Infantry Division of the army, known as "The Old Reliables." CPL Donald Wayne Keep was only 20 years old at the time of his death. His unit, which was on a search and destroy mission in the Mekong Delta, had been air lifted into an area of open rice paddies when it came under fire from enemy troops. Don was wounded in the initial volley of enemy fire, but remained at his post, refusing to be airlifted to safety. He was awarded the Bronze Star with one oak leaf cluster for bravery in action and the purple heart for wounds that took his life. The citation which accompanied the award for bravery said that Don's "personal bravery and unwavering devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and his country's Army." He also received a Combat Infantry Badge, Rifleman's Badge with Bar, the National Defense Medal, and the Vietnam Company Medal.  Don in combat gear.  Don, center, in sweltering Vietnam. (Photos courtesy Don's nephew, Clifford Keep, Jr.) I graduated from Freeport High School in 1966 with Donald Keep. He was a good friend. Don's name is on the Vietnam War Memorial Wall on the Vietnam War Memorial, Panel 33E, Line 85. |
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Dale Koertner, a Navy Seabee, died March 27, 1968. He was killed while at work at Virginia Beach, VA. He apparently fell from a boat into a barge-like section of an amphibious landing construction. Dale graduated from FHS in 1965. |
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David Russel Krueger was a corporal in the army. He was killed in action March 17, 1970, while on a combat mission in Vietnam. He died of wounds received when an enemy booby trap exploded. Dave graduated from FHS in 1965. He was 22. His name is on the Vietnam War Memorial, Panel 12W, Line 013. |
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SP5 Larry Wesley Mack was a Crew Chief / Helicopter Mechanic killed in action while trying to aid a downed aircraft on April 20, 1968, at Binh Dinh, South Vietnam. He was a Snake Doctor. Some of the helicopter assault teams used the call sign, "Rattler." The maintenance area for these helicopters became known as the Snake Pit, and the mechanics as Snake Doctors. They often flew into combat areas to repair helicopters as needed. His name is on the Vietnam War Memorial, Panel 51E, Line 9. He was only 23. |
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Stephen Osran died March 16, 1969, at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. He was assigned to Eglin AFB in Ft. Walton Beach, FL. He became seriously ill and died at the hospital. Steve graduated from FHS in 1965. |
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Franklin Picking was an Air Force Major. Originally listed as missing, he died on July 23, 1969 at age 38. He was piloting a plane in support of an army division when he was shot down over An Khe, Vietnam. Another source says his plane went down in Binh, Dinh, South Vietnam. He was an A-1G Skyraider pilot -- a propeller-driven, single-seat aircraft -- with the 6th Special Operations Squadron assigned to Pleiku Air Base. He was credited with flying 35 missions in the month of May, 1969. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Section 8, Site 5506-E. Franklin was the older brother of one of my Class of 1966 classmates, Darius Picking. Darius was serving in the Navy off the coast of Vietnam when his brother died. Franklin's name is on the Vietnam War Memorial, Panel 20W, Line 036. |
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Jerry Lynn Pool was a Green Beret Special Forces captain. He led a military team sent to Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia, as a U.S. long range reconnaissance patrol to check on enemy activity. Within an hour, his eight-man squad found the enemy, who aggressively chased them for three days. He called in a helicopter to evacuate his team when they came under heavy enemy fire. The four-man helicopter team picked him up along with his two men and five Montagnard tribesmen. Moments after lifting off, the helicopter was hit by a rocket, exploded, crashed and burned. Because of heavy enemy fire, other helicopters nearby were not able to land and search for survivors. The crash site was about 23 miles southwest of the tri-border junction of Cambodia, Laos and South Vietnam at the bottom of a valley with steep walls. He was officially listed as missing and probably died on March 24, 1970, at age 23, in Cambodia. The crash site was found on April 12, 1995. He was declared dead on June 20, 2001, although his remains were never individually identified. On August 16, 2001, a group burial was conducted at Arlington National Cemetery for the seven Americans and the five Montagnards. His name is on the Vietnam War Memorial, Panel 12W, Line 040. |
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Sgt. Richard Leon Reed of Rock City was killed in action December 7, 1970, when a booby trap detonated at a Da Nang area base near the DMZ in Quang Ngai Province. Richard took basic training at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. Richard was sent to Non-Commissioned Officers School, where he earned the highest marks ever achieved at that time. He then went to Jump School. He was an army sergeant, assigned to Company B, First Battalion, 20th Infantry, 23rd Division (American Division). Richard Reed was the last Stephenson County soldier to lose his life in the Vietnam War. He was only 21. His name is on the Vietnam War Memorial, Panel 06W, Line 113. |
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Ronald Lee Schurch of Orangeville was a Lance Corporal in the Marines. He was killed in action in Thua Thien Province when a land mine exploded. He joined the Marines shortly after graduation. He died from hostile fire on June 26, 1967 at age 20. His name is on the Vietnam War Memorial, Panel 22E, Line 066. |
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The
photos for this memorial to Louie Shianna were sent in by his nephew,
Dr. Shawn Shianna of Freeport,"Thank you for putting my
uncle on your website. I'm touched."
Louie John Shianna grew up in Red Oak and graduated from Orangeville High School. He & his wife were residents of Freeport at the time of his service. Louie was an SP4 in the army. He died from hostile fire on April 18, 1969 at age 25. His name is on the Vietnam War Memorial, Panel 26W, Line 004. |
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Fred Carl Welker, Sp4 Army, of rural Lena was killed on December 13, 1970, in an auto accident while on his way home from Texas for a 30-day leave. He is buried at Chapel Hill Cemetery in Freeport. |
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CPL Willie Alfred Wright was killed in action November 6, 1967. He was the recipient of the Silver Star, our third highest award for gallantry, for repeatedly putting himself in danger while pulling wounded comrades from heavy enemy fire. He was on his second tour of duty and had been wounded five times previously. His family had just moved to Stephenson County from Chicago in 1966. He was 29 years old. His name is on the Vietnam War Memorial, Panel 29E Line 037. |
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| My thanks to family members and friends of Freeport's Vietnam era dead for photos and information. And a special thanks to Class of 1965's Karen Otto Hutmacher for help in researching information on these men. Class of 1964's John Veer alerted me to Medal of Honor winner Doug Hagen. |
Iraq
War Deaths
Stephenson County
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Sergeant Andrew Wayne Lancaster of Stockton was killed in action in Iraq on August 11, 2007. Lancaster was with the 1st Battalion 30th Infantry Division from Fort Stewart, Georgia. A sniper in Arab Jabour, Iraq (southeast of Baghdad), killed U.S. soldier PFC William L. Edwards, 23. Lancaster and seven other soldiers rushed the house where the gunman was holed up. One of the soldiers stepped on a buried pressure-triggered bomb at the house. Lancaster and three other soldiers died; four more were wounded in the blast. Killed alongside Lancaster were Army Specialist Justin O. Penrod, 24, of Mahomet, Illinois, Sergeant Scott L. Kirkpatrick, 26, of Reston, Virginia and Staff Sergeant William D. Scates, 31, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Andy Lancaster attended Stockton High School before graduating from Freeport High School in 2002. He was previously deployed to Afghanistan with the U.S. Army's Elite Squadron, 173rd Airborne Brigade. He earned a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star, posthumously. House Resolution 704 was read on the Illinois House of Representatives floor honoring Lancaster. Ft.
Stewart honors soldiers from that base who are killed in action.
A red bud tree was planted for Lancaster at Warriors Walk among
the nearly 400 planted there. He is buried at Shepherd of the Hills
Lutheran Church Cemetery, Thompson Township, Jo Daviess County,
Illinois. Andrew Lancaster was only 23 years old. |
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Marine Lance Corporal Neil D. Petsche of Lena died while serving in Iraq on December 21, 2004, from injuries received in a non-hostile vehicle incident in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Petsche was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California. He is buried in Lena Burial Park, Lena, Illinois. Neil Petsche was only 21 years old. |
Afghanistan
War Deaths
Stephenson County
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Norman Cain III
Spc. Norman Cain III, a 2006 graduate of Freeport High School, was killed in action on Sunday, March 15, 2009, in Kot, Nangarhar Province, in eastern Afghanistan. An improvised explosive device (IED) exploded near his vehicle. He was killed instantly. Cain enlisted in the Illinois National Guard in July 2007 and served in Company D, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry. This was his first deployment. He arrived in Afghanistan in late October 2008. He was a part of the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), providing security for Provincial Reconstruction Teams that are helping the Afghan government build roads, hospitals, government buildings and other infrastructure. Also killed were two other soldiers from his unit, Sgt. Christopher Abeyta, 23, of Midlothian, and Spc. Robert Weinger, 24, of Round Lake Beach, and Air Force Staff Sgt. Timothy L. Bowles, 24, from Tucson, Arizona. Cain, Abeyta and Weinger were the 9th, 10th and 11th deaths from the Illinois Army National Guard’s 33rd IBCT since their deployment to Afghanistan. Eight of the deaths occured in 2009. Cain died at the scene, while Abeyta and Weinger were taken to a hospital in Jalabad, Afghanistan, where they died. Cain was a resident of Mount Morris. He attended Highland Community College Auto Mechanics School. He was survived by his wife Brigette and his two children, a step-daughter, Fallon Spielman, and a son, Toryn Cain. Norman Cain was just 22 years old. He is buried in North Grove Christian Cemetery, Egan, Illinois. |
